It is often desirable to install a suction anchor in the waterbottom in order to use it for the anchoring of various structures, such as for example floating drilling platforms, floating production platforms, floating tension leg platforms, various types of ships and single buoy mooring systems for loading and unloading tankers, or, for example, for the staying by means of guy cables of various structures, such as for example a freestanding marine conductor.
This application is related to U.S. Ser. No. 99,240, filed Nov. 30, 1979 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,641 wherein it is taught to install a suction anchor in the waterbottom by reducing the pressure in the interior of the suction anchor by pumping water therefrom. Similar but different structures are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,411,473; 3,496,900 and 4,029,039.
A problem which sometimes occurs during the installation by means of this method is that the plug of bottom material which enters the interior of the suction anchor, may disturb the pumping process since the reduced pressure may cause expansion of the plug of bottom material.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved method of installing a suction anchor in the bottom of a body of water.